Okonogi's Thoughts
By Ms. Kinnikufan
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. Shinji Saijyo does.
I'm Takao Okonogi. I'm not really significant. But I'm okay with that. Really I am. I have gotten use to it.
The Chinese Cooking Competition was amazement to me.
I saw people at their best and at their worst. People always tend to reveal their most intimate selves when stressed-out.
In particular, I saw Jan at his worst. Going psychotic after losing the noodle battle, serving poison mushroom soup, the way Jan treated Kota Omae after the lotus root battle…defiantly Jan at his worst.
Yet…despite his general bad attitude towards many things..Jan is the one who has treated me the best. Yes, Jan. No mistake. The almost-psychotic chef, who often acts like a complete asshole, treats this insignificant chef better then anyone else. Even better then my own family. Even better then Kiriko.
Yes, even Kiriko. Kiriko may have less "pissed-off times" then Jan, nut when she does, you don't want to be on the same continent. Hell, you should be two continents away.
Hell, most of the time she doesn't notice me around. Jan does. Jan notices me and doesn't physical abuse me. In fact Jan's the only one at Gobanchos who hasn't hit me or thrown something at me. Jan has only insulted me three times. That's why I consider Jan a friend.
I don't know why Jan considers me a friend, really.
Maybe he doesn't see me as competition, which is what his cooking philosophy is all about.
The final round was truly about conflicting philosophies. Kirikio's consideration for the customer verses Jan's desire to win at any cost. I don't think Celine ever had a chance, the poor girl. Jan and Kiriko were simply more intense about their philosophies.
When it came right down to it, Jan's and Kiriko's points were equal.
Jan said something about all the judges who didn't want him to win poling together their points for Kiriko. I wonder, is just skill that makes a chef or personality and motivation too.
Kiriko apparently got 50 points from the judges because she was a more pleasant person. In the end, Jan lost because a spiteful Otani gave Kiriko the ten winning points.
But watching all those people trying to catch pigeons makes it clear to me that they liked Jan's dish better.
I wonder who really lost: Jan who got less points, or Kiriko who got more points because of Otani's spite?